Dawning Realizations
by Kara97
Summary: Judith realizes that Buck is far from being finished with her.


Genre American Gothic

Title Bye Bye Birdie

chapter 2 Realizations and Recoveries.

Judith had woken up with little Merly curled up on her bed , asleep beside her. The closest Judith had ever come to hatred was when she realized that MerlyAnn would never be right in her head after seeing what Lucas had done to Judith her Mama.

Little Merly had run away but not too her room! She had cowered in the living room corner in horror. Being a child she knew hurt when she saw it. She had seen something as a child that broke grown folks who only saw the results. Damn Lucas Buck! Her child had seen the act.

Her talking regressed, she withdrew into herself. At too young an age she had seen too much and her mind closed down to protect herself. Being a social-worker trained, to understand and deal with hurt people. Judith recognized what Merly's mind was doing. Judith felt that it would best to let Merly's mind decide when it would heal itself. There was no physical trauma. Only time tender love and a mothers hands and lap would speed Merly's healing. God had given humans amazing coping skills. Judith had faith and belief in God. In time all things could and would be minded according to his purposes.

She fought evil everyday, she helped lost brutalized children rebuild their lives. She had the tools the knowledge she would recovery. Buck thought she was some weak frail southern bloom!

He thought he could take her and break her No Sir!

Judith came from a long line of women that had fought for themselves, their families and the South all the way back to the war of Northern Aggression! Buck was being very short sighted for a southern man.

First things first she had to pray to God for strength. Second get dressed. This had been the routine she had worked out since that morning all those months ago.

1. Pray for strength. 2. Get dressed modest yet attractive. A soft cotton underslip under her unmentionables, light cotton stocking too humid for silk. Her best Blue dress..Judith's Mama had taught her Light blue for Blonde hair.

Dark Blue for a sultry Brunette. Merly would be a dark sloe eyed brunette. One day Merly would get better and she would teach her the ways of women. As her Mama had taught her.

Every southern mama worth her salt told every girl-child she ever birthed that looking good gave you confidence and courage to face the devil himself.

Judith knew she was not recovered, she saw the signs in herself. Hyper vigilance, anxiety the crying fits. But she managed to hold herself together. To keep going she was starting to enjoy her life again .

It had been two months since Buck,(snake)she hadn't had her cycle but that could be trauma. Stress can retard a woman's cycle. She began to feel unwell and have periods of weakness. Judith had to finally turn over the day to day running of Sancutary House to her fellow social workers.

She went for a physical thinking she had the flu and came back a mother to be. Judith wasn't sure she could handle a baby right now was her first thought. The next whose's baby was she caring her Husband or Buck's.

Hopefully Judith consulted her private calendar please please please her heart beat pulsed with her thoughts. If her cycle had been on the fourth day 3 months ago it would be Gage's. But if had been on the 23rd it would be Bucks.

Judith shoulders slumped it had been the 23rd. Buck she was carrying his child.

Then her nightmare really began she noticed Buck following her with his eyes. He never came closer than a block to her, yet his eyes blazed with knowledge and intention.

One time she been walking in down town Trinity and he had steeped into her line of sight.

Judith hands had shook she felt queer and light. She must have looked pretty bad. Margie had seen her looked down on Judith belly had thought it was the baby.

Judith had told her that her breakfast was not sitting right. She had driven home and rested all

day. It wasn't over. Judith had thought Buck had wanted a fling and when she didn't oblige him.

He forced her.

It seems Buck was not so easily forgotten. He was coming back. His bathing her and

dressing her hadn't been about control. He had been savoring her not tormenting her. He loved her! He had wanted memories where she was not fighting him.

He was skulking around she'd seen him. Spying on her family. Well it may not be over but she was not giving up.

She knew two things for sure about Buck and herself. She was pregnant. The baby was his.

Something's she didn't know. Why was her having his child so important to him? When had he fallen in love with her? He was such a dark soul. He enjoyed forcing his will on others. Looking down at her growing belly was proof of that. He craved something more what ever his goals.

Judith developed an acute awareness of Buck's presence. It took her longer to not run out

and confront him. She knew for sure he was meddling in her marriage. Into her fifth month her health had picked up enough for her to return to a supervisor at S A. She had taken Merly with her to work.

Gage had gone to work. When she came'd home he'd been worried, pensive. Her health had caused him stay put it had been a return to the salad days of their marriage. He been kind considerate his attentions had helped heal her.

But that evening coming home. Gage had looked scared. He took Merly right out of her arms.

Told her to go play. Then her sat her down and shared the information the doc had told him. No more stress or anything, Judith's health was at risk.

Judith throat had closed over. It was not Over. What was going on? What did Buck want ?

Rubbing her stomach Judith rocked her chair. Looking into her fireplace she relaxed.

Giving herself to prayer. She fell a sleep. She didn't feel her husband cover her with a quilt. Lock up the house and go to bed.

Buck watched the house, saw the lights go out saw Gage lock up the house and go to sleep. Stealthy he walked onto the porch looking through the large windows. He saw Judith in

the firelight it made her hair a warm carmel, her lips still primrose pink.

He looked at her figure six months along he could see how far along she was Judith cradled her hand against her stomach in her sleep.

Turning around Buck walked off the porch walked into the woods a bit got into his cruser and drove home.

He had time and a plan. Everything was woking out just fine.


End file.
